Association of Commercial Television in Europe

The Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT) represents the interests of leading commercial broadcasters in 37 European countries. The ACT member companies finance, produce, promote and distribute content and services benefeting millions of Europeans across all platforms. By offering a wide range of choice and variety to the viewer, commercial broadcasters are a leading source of entertainment and information to millions of European citizens.

History

The ACT was set up in 1989. Back then, there were fewer than 100 broadcasters in the twelve Member States of the European Community. With the occasional exception, most European countries had only ended the state monopoly of television broadcasting in the mid-1980s. Back then, the ACT had five founder members. As commercial television models proved popular with viewers, so many new channels were launched and ACT membership grew quickly. However, some of the key regulatory issues were already becoming apparent, with European rules adopted in 1989 for the first time on transfrontier television, advertising, programme quotas, and then separate rules negotiated for copyright in the early 90s.

Mission

The ACT's role is to protect and to promote the interests of the European private broadcasters. ACT engages with the European Union's institutions to achieve a balanced and appropriate regulatory framework which will encourage further investment and growth in the audiovisual sector. This will allow the commercial audiovisual industry to continue to get high-quality content to viewers. In more detail, ACT monitors policy developments at European level and provides its members with regulatory expertise. ACT also engages with European decision makers and engages in a constant dialogue while providing them with the first-hand expertise about the audiovisual sector. Furthermore, ACT is a leading platform for its members to network and exchange ideas about latest policy developments and best practices. Last but not least, ACT represents the industry at external public events, institutional working groups, European and international organisations.

EU Media Policy

The ACT promotes and advocates the interests of its member companies in a wide range of media policy issues at European level. ACT activities aim at a balanced and appropriate regulatory framework which will encourage further investment and growth in the audiovisual sector. ACT responds to relevant consultations, inquiries and maintains dialogue with the European institutions. Current key policy issues are the following:

• Audiovisual Media Services
• Accessibility
• Portability
• Copyright Package
• Digital Contracts
• e-Privacy
• Intellectual Property Rights

Members

Gruppo Mediaset, Canal+ Group, Sky, RTL Group, itv, Mediaset espana, tvi, Antenna Group, Sanoma, NBCUniversal, Discovery, TV4-Gruppen, Modern Times Group, Viacom International Media Networks, CME, Scripps Networks, AMC Networks International, Fox Networks Group, MTV, Medialaan, TV3, Atresmedia, A+E, Bein Sports, SBS.

Governance

• Magnus Brook, Chairman, Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, ITV
• Christophe Roy, Director of European Affairs, Canal+ Group
• Julia Smetana, Head of European Regulatory Affairs, Modern Times Group (MTG)
• Philip Jenner, Vice President Government Relations Europe, Viacom
• Carolina Lorenzon, Director International Affairs, Mediaset
• Lyn Trystman-Gray, Senior Vice President European Affairs, RTL Group SA
• Daniel Friedlander, Head of the EU office, Sky plc
• Petra Wilkström-Van Eemeren, Vice President Public Affairs, MTV

ACT Team

• Grégoire Polad, Director General
• Agnieszka Horak, Director of Legal and Public Affairs
• Paola Colasanti, Head of Information
• Alison Leonard, Office Manager
• Masa Lampret, Communications & EU Affairs Manager
• Johanna Baysse, EU Junior Policy Officer

References